You must know: the most famous movement in the history of photography - "F/64 group"

The F/64 group is the most famous movement in the history of photography. Although the initiators aimed to capture the world as seen by the naked eye, thanks to their impeccable technique, skillful use of light, contrast and composition, the group of photographers managed to turn their images into art. Eleven photographers declare themselves in the f/64 group at the MH de Young Memorial Museum in San Francisco on November 15, 1932: Ansel Adams, Imogen Cunningham, John Paul Edwards, Pugh Reston Holder, Consulo Canaga, Alma Ravinson, Sonia Noskoviak, Henry Swift, Willard Van Dyke, Brett Weston and Edward Weston. The idea for the exhibition came a few months ago at a party honoring Weston at a gallery called '683' (it was on Brockhurst Street in San Francisco) address) – the West Coast equivalent of Alfred Stieglitz’s gallery 291 – where they discussed forming a group dedicated to showcasing and promoting new directions in photography Creative Alliance’s name is Large Format Camera Lens Aperture limit. The title itself speaks of a commitment to the so-called "direct photography" direction, based on a clear and detailed presentation of nature. The group decided to issue a corresponding manifesto, announcing their creative intent and a struggle against the pictorialism that dominated photography at the time. The first attempt to disseminate his visual ideas was an 80-photograph exhibition at the De Young Museum in San Francisco in 1932. The 11 members of the F/64 group advocated a new modernist aesthetic based on properly exposed images of natural forms and objects. There are two authoritative positions regarding the appointment of photography as a mass medium and the role of American photographer authorship: Alfred Stieglitz's pictorialism on the East Coast and the "F/64 Group" in the West. The former brings the technology of creating photographs into artistic channels, while the latter uses the camera for the sole purpose of recording reality. If pictorialism endorses blurry and out-of-focus images that bring photos closer to painting, then California photographers believe in what they call "pure photography." A corollary to this idea is that the camera is able to see the world more clearly than the human eye because it doesn't project personal biases onto subjects. The group's efforts to show the camera's "vision" as clearly as possible include advocating the use of an f/64 aperture to provide the greatest depth of field, so that the largest scale of pictures are in focus. As Edward Weston said: "The camera must be used to record life, to convey the essence and essence of things themselves, whether polished steel or trembling flesh. By photographing any subject, the photographer can emphasize his Creative intuition and the ability to create aesthetic order in the chaos of nature: lush landscapes of Yosemite, studies of calla lilies and lilies, sand dunes, close-ups of vegetables, portraits, industrial architecture, urban landscapes. The author's approach incorporates these themes Linked to the breadth of - a strict focus on the accuracy with which the characteristics of objects are captured. The emotional experience of the form becomes the main feature of their work.

f The name /64 group

refers to the smallest aperture available in large-format cameras at the time, and it demonstrates the group's belief that photographs should celebrate rather than disguise the medium's unparalleled ability to present the world "as it is". f.64 group Provides a gathering place for like-minded photographers to come together, state their goals, and present their carefully composed black-and-white images. The group focuses on landscapes and close-up images in natural environments, themes that highlight the photographer creative intuition and ability to create aesthetic order from the chaos of nature.

f/64 Group Declaration

Name of the group Derived from the aperture number of a photographic lens. It largely indicates the sharpness and clarity of a photographic image and is an important factor in the work of the group members. The group's main goal is to often show what it thinks is best Western contemporary photography; in addition to showcasing the work of its members, it will include photographs from other photographers who demonstrate that their work is similar to that of the group. The f/64 group does not pretend to cover the entire photography, or Show any disparaging opinions about photographers who do not participate in their programs through the selection of its members. There are a large number of photography professionals whose styles and techniques are not related to the profession of the group. The f/64 group restricts its membership and invitation to Those who are committed to defining photography as an art form through a purely photographic approach through simple and direct presentation. At no time will the group exhibit work that does not meet its standards of pure photography. Pure photography is defined as not Have the qualities of technique, composition or idea of ​​any other art form. On the other hand, the creation of a "painter" demonstrates a love of artistic principles directly related to painting and graphic arts. Members of the f/64 group believe that photography as a An art form that must develop along lines defined by the realities and limitations of the photographic medium, and must always remain independent of the growth reminiscent of a period and cultivated prior to the medium itself. The group will appreciate any escape that escapes its attention. Information on serious photography work and in favor of establishing itself as a forum for modern photography.

The group disbanded in late 1935

but its ideas are reflected in the work of many followers, such as Dorothea Lange and Walker Evans, who documented the impact of the Great Depression on communities across the United States. Beginning on the West Coast, the F/64 Group principles spread around the world, influencing photojournalism and documentary photography in the 1950s. The works of its participants are kept in museum collections and presented to audiences at auctions and exhibitions.

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